Fine-Tune Your Direct Mailing

Looking for ways to prune postal bloat? The Direct Marketing Association offers this checklist of cost-cutting ideas:

1. Fine-tune your mailing list.

• Stop mailing to duplicate names.
• Eliminate nonresponders and marginal prospects.

2. Be sure you're using accurate addresses.

• Check for correct ZIP codes.
• Watch for mail shipped to wrong apartment or suite numbers.
• Check for missing directionals, such "N." for "North."

3. Take advantage of postal discounts and services.

• Use the USPS's National Change of Address list to keep your mailing list current.
• Print "Address Correction Requested" on the face of your mail.
• Investigate commingling your mail with that of other small mailers to take advantage of discounts available mainly to large mailers.
• Print your bar-coded ZIP+4 on Business Reply Mail.
• Stockpile mail to build up larger volumes.

Excerpted from Start Your Own Business: The Only Start-Up Guide You'll Ever Need